Seiko Skx007 In-depth Review Quartzimodo
Reviewing the Grand Seiko SBGA029 was mostly a selfish endeavor, as I longed to spend some quality time test driving this diver. Its considerable dimensions are indeed way outside my comfort zone, yet I have somehow still been deeply attracted to this specific model ever since. I was already familiar with the dressier Grand Seiko models and had high expectations based on Seiko’s track record with diving watches. After all, it must be fairly hard to compete with its cousin the, most likely the best price-for-quality diver you could ever dream of.
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For that reason, the SBGA029 goes a totally different direction, offering an interesting interpretation of a luxury diver, aiming at the Rolexes and Omegas of this world, while putting a unique twist on the category as well. The Grand Seiko SBGA029 is absolutely not a new watch. It was actually launched eight years ago, and has remained in the Grand Seiko catalog ever since. I mean, as mentioned above, we've even covered it before.
If you are familiar with Grand Seiko's cryptic denomination system, you can actually infer two things about the watch solely from its reference number. First off, SBGA indicates a Spring Drive caliber. Simple enough. Then there's the odd number, which indicates a white metal (or, more recently, a black ceramic case as well). Even numbers are reserved for rose and yellow gold. The SBGA029 was actually born with a titanium counterpart, the reference SBGA031, but I would argue that the imposing weight of the former is part of the full experience.
Those of you who disagree, let me know down in the comments. Indeed, the SBGA029 weighs no less than 201 grams. Compare this to the 153 grams of the Rolex Submariner Date and the 173 grams of the Rolex Sea-Dweller 4000 and you instantly realize that this is anything but a light watch. Actually, this Grand Seiko comes in closer to the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deep Sea, with which it shares a 44mm case size.
However, it does not match the 1,220m depth rating of the massive Rolex, obtaining 'just' a 200m water resistance certification. But, let’s be honest, and you can trust Grand Seiko to have over-engineered its watch from the inside out too. On first look, it is obvious that the SBGA029 was built to be a rough-and-tumble tool watch. It feels like it could sustain the worst abuse you could throw at it, and everything down to the bracelet clasp immediately impresses. Why focus on such a random part? Well, any diver will tell you that easy adjustments to the bracelet's size are essential for wearing the watch over a diving suit, and the Grand Seiko's adjustment system is both simple and efficient. On the other side, the engraved clasp testifies of the high degree of finishing to be expected from Grand Seiko, with multiple textures and a fine level of detail.
The indexes and handset (especially the minute hand) definitely carry some of the design cues from the Seiko mothership. They proved highly legible during my time with the watch, and it makes perfect sense why their aggressive shapes was kept. The luminous dot on the tail of the seconds hand is another unusual detail that I actually really enjoyed. It lets you know the watch is in motion in the dark, but leaves the sharp tip of the hand itself intact for reading the seconds very precisely in the light.Interestingly, the new quartz divers from Seiko launched in 2015 (SBGX115 and SBGX117, again exhibiting a pattern in reference numbers) still present such a configuration.
Even better, Seiko’s own lume shows incredible performance. Honestly, this might be the strongest and long-lasting lume you can get anywhere – such benefits are crucial underwater (but quite handy on the bedside table, as well). I did not dive to the limit of what this watch can handle (nor will I ever go anywhere near that depth), but I learned to appreciate this watch as a daily wearer more and more as time went. It is not truly a desk diver to be worn with a suit, but it looked great with more informal clothing. The 14mm-thick case proved very manageable, something I was skeptical about.
To be fair, the size and weight did take a couple of days to get used to, especially when switching from the tiny vintage watches I usually wear. I eventually found it very comfortable on the wrist, and the nice weight distribution keeps it stable on the wrist – the last thing you want with a watch like this is for it to be swinging around.
The short lugs play a big role here, and the same watch with longer lugs would have been a real challenge for me.
The story in a secondThe most eagerly awaited dive watch release from Seikoever?Seiko were relative latecomers to the professional dive watch game, coming some 10 years after the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms and the Rolex Submariner. Released in 1965, the legendary Seiko 62MAS (ref. 6217) was Japan’s first professional dive watch and inspired a long tradition of Seiko divers that has seen the brand release some of the most widely used and respected divers on the market. In fact, some of Seiko’s own design innovations contributed to the foundation of the ISO 6425 dive watch standards.
So, when the news leaked, that Seiko were finally answering the prayers and wishes of collectors by releasing a re-creation of the iconic 62MAS, the watch world was abuzz with excitement. Were the pictures fake? Will they accept MasterCard? All was revealed at Baselworld 2017, when Seiko unveiled one of their most faithful vintage reissues ever, the Prospex SLA017. In fact, if you spotted someone wearing the modern re-creation, you would have a hard time distinguishing it from the original, without resorting to some expert level wrist stalking. The caseThe SLA017 is an almost exact duplicate of the original 62MAS.
It has the same utilitarian case shape, with sharply angled edges, integrated short box-like lugs, and oversized screw-down crown — even the screw case back is inscribed with the same oddly cute dolphin as the original. However, the case is now slightly larger — at 39.9mm wide and 14.1mm thick, it’s been upsized for modern tastes but kept as true to the original as possible, even being finished with the same circular brushing on top.
It’s also now coated in what Seiko are referring to as a “super-hard coating”, to protect it from scratches. The only other notable difference is the water resistance, which has been increased from the original 150m to 200m, again, designed for the modern wearer and to meet industry ISO standards. To further meet these standards the narrow bezel is now unidirectional and in staying true to the original, uses the same font and style for its almost fully graduated 60 minute markings, with an identical circular pip of lume at zero.
It also has the best action of any Seiko bezel I’ve ever handled, with a distinctly crisp feel. The crystal has been upgraded to a glassbox sapphire, in a nice departure from the norm of Seiko’s usual proprietary Hardlex. The dialMy favourite design feature on the original was the stunning colour and finish of the dial — thankfully Seiko have perfectly recreated it on the modern re-creation. It radiates between a dark anthracite to a light grey in colour and using the same style baton hands and applied rectangular hour markers as the 62MAS, which are generously filled to their polished edges with lume.
The date window is also framed with the same polished border, just like it was on the original. My only issue is that the Seiko logo is now printed, instead of being raised and applied to the dial. However, overlooking that one little fault, all other dial writing is comparable to the original – the only change in text referring to the change in water resistance. The movementThe most significant difference from the original is the movement, which has been understandably upgraded to the modern automatic caliber 8L35, designed for diver’s use. It is hand-assembled and adjusted in Seiko’s Shizuku-ishi Watch Studio in Morioka and is the undecorated version of the Grand Seiko Caliber 9S55 movement. With a respectable power reserve of 50 hours it beats at a much faster 28,800vph compared to the original’s 18,000vph, and is rated to -10/+15 seconds a day – although most should run with far greater accuracy, and indeed the one I wore did.
Seiko Skx007 In-depth Review Quartzimodo Manual
The strapAlthough the SLA017 comes with both a waffle patterned silicon rubber strap and a stainless-steel bracelet, it’s the former that truly befits the vintage tool styling of the watch. The silicon strap is soft, supple, and comfortable to wear, however like many silicon straps I found it be something of a dust magnet. On the wristThis Prospex re-creation feels thoroughly modern in terms of wearability and construction but remains faithful to the original design thanks to its modest sizing.
In fact, it’s about as close as you are likely to ever get to wearing a NOS 62MAS. However, it doesn’t feel like a vintage watch since everything has been finely tuned and updated, and it’s a cut above anything else in the Seiko Prospex collection. The verdictThe SLA017 was made for the hardcore Seiko collector — its $5500 price tag and limited availability of only 2000 pieces worldwide, putting it out of reach for most.
However, Seiko has done an extraordinarily good job of paying tribute to their first professional diver, showing that they can look back into their vast back catalogue, and produce a re-edition that’s been sensitively updated, but remains faithful where it matters. Talking pointWill it be more collectable than the original? Who’s it for?The hardcore Seiko collector, or anyone who’s a fan of vintage reissues. If you can find one. What would we change?Can we have a non-limited version, please? Seiko Prospex SLA017 Australian pricing and availabilitySeiko Prospex SLA017, limited to 2000 pieces, $5500.